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Wednesday, May 18, 2011

{Definition: WOW Wednesday. Also known as Words of Wisdom Wednesdays. This is a post which begs invites you to SHARE your wisdom with first time mamas...like me!}

Remember that song? Do you sing it to your kiddos? I grew up with my mom singing it to me before bed and can't wait to sing it to our little one when we get him or her home!

I love easy, cheap, colorful DIY projects. And this space in our kitchen was just aching for one.

The back of our cabinets

Yes, I realize I needed to clean off my counters, not do a project, ha!

Talk about a blank canvas! Future Papa was a bit hesitant about me nailing something into the cabinets, so I knew whatever I did needed to be lightweight. I searched "cheap and easy wall decorations" and discovered this...

...which was created by one of my FAVORITE design duos and secret bffs John and Sherry. Any Young House Love fans out there?

So I got in touch with my inner Sherry and whipped up this up yesterday:

And I love it! Total amount of money I spent yesterday? $2.99! I already had the clothespins, which I decorated for a bachelorette party I hosted last month.

Hehe, see the clothespins? I made them by gluing little green paper flowers (I think I bought them at Hobby Lobby) to plain old clothespins.

The letters themselves are cutout from pieces of scrapbook paper, which I also already owned. Each letter (which I cut out using this template) is attached (via double-sided photo-tape) to a solid piece of colored cardstock paper. Easy peezy.

Then, I took some twine from my craft bin and taped it up with my only purchase of the day: the $2.99 double sided poster stickies. With the help of my my husband's handy dandy tape measure, I measured everything out, taped it up, and cleaned and put away moved everything from the counter to the kitchen table to snap some after pictures!

And then my husband got home. "Wow...that's interesting." I already knew my decor would be a bit colorful for his taste, but I was convinced he would see the fun in it. We already agreed that we wanted to make our home more colorful and kid-friendly over the course of the next year. "Is that for Heather's bachelorette party?" (yep, I am hosting another bachelorette party this weekend) he asked. When I explained that I meant for it to be a more permanent decoration, he was not quuiiiiiite thrilled. Hrmph. Apparently this will bring hours of teasing from his family and guy friends (not so much the bright colors, but my adoring phrase "you are my sunshine"). Being the good man that he is, he conceded that if I liked it, it could stay.

So, do I leave it up because it is just so cute and hope that it grows on him? Or try to come up with another short phrase that is more kitchen appropriate? The idea of cutting out more letters and putting them all up sounds simply exhausting right now, but maybe I would have the energy for it next week. Or maybe I could leave it up until we get the nursery decorating going and then move it in there? Thoughts?

7
comments:

NicoleJoelle
said...

It's cute! And definitely bright and colorful :) I am also a YHL fan! I've had a few of those projects that got a "I-Don't-Know-What-To-Say" look from the hubby. Not always fun after hours of gluing, painting, etc...Maybe every season you could change it up! The sunshine phrase and bright colors are perfect for spring!

Sarah H
said...

I say leave it for now, at least until you figure out something else. Maybe see if your hubby has a suggestion? If he really doesn't like it after a while, it might be something to move into the future nursery! So either way all your work won't be in vain.

Brooke Annessa
said...

I vote to keep it! If not in the kitchen, would it work in the nursery?

Brooke Annessawww.theannessafamily.blogspot.com

Ted
said...

I'm a YHL fan and found your post from your link in their comments. From one guy's perspective, it's not the color part that's really a problem, but that the whole concept is a touch feminine for the shared public space. If you leave that up after the party, my thought is that to be fair, you need to do something for him or let him do something he wants but you really don't. Like the classic, "can he leave his old comfy but ugly lounge chair in the family room." Like John and Sherry, my wife and I have a policy that we try to agree on changes to the public spaces, but she can decorate her way in the more private spaces.

You could make enough letters & keep them somewhere & change the message according to the day or whenever you feel like it,..or use it as a message board "don't forget the milk" lol jk! ps the undies are totally cute!

Jlmumford
said...

I love it! I am a music thrapist and have sung this song SOOOO many times over the years. It is a beautiful phrase....keep it up somewhere always. :)